While the Detroit Lions are going through significant changes to their coaching staff, the coaching carousel around the NFL and college football is also in full swing. Ohio State, coming off their national championship, had to replace a few departed coaches on Ryan Day's staff. Their defensive coordinator hire raised some eyebrows in Detroit.
The former Lions head coach Matt Patricia is joining Day's staff as the school's new defensive coordinator, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Sources: Ohio State is finalizing a deal to hire Matt Patricia as the school’s new defensive coordinator. Patricia was an NFL head coach with the Lions and longtime DC with the New England Patriots. pic.twitter.com/NdCTsCMVBz
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 12, 2025
Ohio State Hires Matt Patricia as New Defensive Coordinator
Patricia will be replacing Jim Knowles, who left Ohio State in January to become Penn State's defensive coordinator. The Buckeyes also have a new offensive coordinator in Brian Hartline, who was promoted from WR coach earlier in the offseason.
The former Lions head coach spent last year away from football after failing miserably in his role as senior defensive assistant with the Eagles in 2023. After Philadelphia's defensive collapse in the second half of the season, Patricia replaced Sean Desai as the defensive playcaller. That didn't help, either, as the Eagles continued struggling on that end before flaming out in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs.
This was a continuation of Patricia's fall from grace since being hired as the Lions head coach in 2018. Detroit went 13-29-1 in his tenure and had one of the worst defenses in the NFL during that 2.5-year stretch. When he was fired in the middle of the 2020 season, the Lions ranked at the bottom of the league both in terms of points and total offense allowed.
Patricia also hasn't coached at the collegiate level since he was an offensive graduate assistant at Syracuse from 2001 to 2003. He found success once he joined Bill Belichick's staff in New England, helping lead them to three Super Bowl wins. He held various positions there, including linebackers coach, safeties coach, and defensive coordinator. The Patriots had a few seasons with elite defensive units during Patricia's tenure there.
Outside of New England, however, Patricia's successes have been few and far between. This is a massive bet by Ohio State. Whether Patricia will be able to revive his career with the Buckeyes or continue his fall away from the spotlight remains to be seen.